1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a belt apparatus, and more particularly to an belt apparatus to be used in the performance of various exercises.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Belts devices are commonly used in the performance of exercises, either to support the user's body (such as a spotting belt used in gymnastics) or to support a load upon the body. Such conventional exercise belts suffer from various disadvantages.
One common disadvantage is that such belts are typically designed to be secured about the user in a manner in which the load is brought to bear on the user's lumbar vertebrae. Lumbar vertebrae, which move relative to one another, are not capable of safely supporting large loads. Use of such belts therefore commonly results in injury.
Many conventional exercise belts are also designed so that they have a fixed perimeter length when secured about the user. For example, a tongue and groove mechanism is commonly employed to secure the ends of exercise belts about the users. Such fixed length perimeter belts suffer from the disadvantage that they tend to slip when loads greater than a certain magnitude are applied, or when a load is applied in a direction different from the prior direction. Depending upon the amount of the load and the degree of slippage, injury may result.
Other belts designs are disadvantageous because they do not provide any mechanism to allow the user to make adjustments to account for varying limb or other lengths of different users. For example, exercise devices are known in which elastic lengths (such as surgical tubing) extend from a platform beneath the user and are connected to hooks or loops located on a belt secured about the user. When the elastic having the same length is connected to belts secured about users having different leg lengths, the variation in resistance encountered can be substantial. This disadvantage is also applicable to other elastic devices such as pneumatic and hydraulic actuated devices.
Still other belts are disadvantageous because either bulk or the manner in which they are secured prevents the user from performing sport specific movements.